Circular stapling apparatus are commonly used to join tubular tissue sections by circular anastomosis. Typically, circular stapling apparatus include a loading unit for applying a circular array of staples to the tissue. The loading units are typically replaceable after firing to permit reuse of the circular stapling apparatus. During shipping and attachment of the loading units to the circular stapling apparatus, pusher and knife assemblies within the loading unit may become misaligned, preventing proper attachment of the loading unit to the circular stapling apparatus. Further, once fired, the loading unit does not include any mechanism for preventing subsequent firing of the empty loading unit and/or that facilitates detaching the loading unit from the circular stapling apparatus. To ensure proper attachment of the loading unit to the surgical stapling apparatus, to prevent firing of an empty loading unit, and to facilitate separation of the loading unit from the circular stapling apparatus, it would be desirable to provide a shipping member which maintains the loading unit in an operable condition and is reattached to the loading unit after firing.